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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.-

W. P. M. McGARTY. APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OPSTEEL DIRECT FROM THEORE.

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.zliiorney (No ModelQ) 2 SheetsSheet 2. W. F. M. MOCARTY. APPARATUS FORTHE PRODUCTION OF STEEL DIRECT FROM-THE ORE.

,654'. Patented Nov. 5, 1889;

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UNITED STATES PATENT Urrrcn.

, \VILLIAM F. M. MCCARTY, OF HAGERSTOTVN, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR, BY

DIREC" AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, OF TIIREE-F(')URTI:IS TQ JANE LO- GAN, OFSAME PLACE, CATHERINE EISI'ION, OF PI'IILADELPI'IIA, PENN- SYLVANIA, ANDHERMAN D. \VALBRIDGE, OF VASHI'NGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF STEEL DIRECT FROM THE ORE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 414,654, dated NOVBZher 5-, 1889.

Application filed March 5, 1889. I Serial No. 301,902. (No model.)

To 60% whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. M. Mc- CARTY, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Hagerstown, in the county of \Vashington and Stateof Maryland, have invented new and useful Improvements in Apparatus forthe Production of Steel Direct from Ore; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the saidinvention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to theletters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part ofthis specification.

My invention relates to an improved apparatus for producing steel directfrom the ore.

The invention consists in anovel construe tion of stack and converterhaving tuyeres to communicate with the stack through which hydrogen andcarbonaceous matter is introduced in the different zones or belts of thestack.

It further consists in combining with the stack and converter and thetuyeres for theintroduction of the hydrogen and carbonaceous matter avacu u m-cha mber communicating wit-h the converter.

It further consists in providing the stack withthe inclined shelves orsupports, with their inner edges overhanging the ones next below,whereby the metal is caused to fall by gravity from shelf to shelf whileunder the calorific energy of the gaseous fuel introduced through thetuyeres.

-It further consists in providing the stack with fiues communicatingtherewith and with the converter outside the bosh. for carrying off thegas and products of combustion in blowing the metal while converting itinto steel, and conducting it into the lower part of the stack, wherethe gas and its heat may be utilized in reducing the ores without actingon the charge in the bosh, thereby forming one and a continuous heatwithout handling the metal, and also in certain details in theconstruction and arrangement of parts, all as hereinafter explained. Theconverter is connected with the lower part of the stack by means oflines S, whereby the gases from the converter may be passed outside ofthe bosh B and into the body of the ore in the stack to assist in itsreduction.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a transverse section of ablast-furnace, showing one manner of constructing the stack, in whichthe bosh thereof is shown in spherical form and. communicating with aconverter through a narrow passage-way. Fig. 2 is a similar section ofanother manner of constructing the stack, or modification showing thevacuu nr-chamber, also in section, and. also the air and gas heaters.

The stack, except in the particulars mentioned, may be constructed inany preferred way, and which is provided at some distance from the lowerend with an annular oifset to support the charge of fuel and oreintroduced into the stack. Below the offset is located a chamber which Iterm the bosh B of the stack, which communicates through a centralopening with the converter A. In Fig. l the bosh is made in sphericalform, and communicates with the converter through a contractedpassage-way, while in Fig. 2 said bosh B is made in tapering cylindricalform, with its lower portion adjacent to the converter contracted toform a narrow passage-way between it and the converter, the object offorming the passage-way between the bosh B and converter is to permit ofwithdrawing the molten metal into the converter to be blown withhydrogen and atmospheric air for the purification of the metal and forintroducing the carbon to form steel.

\Vith the form of communicating passagewaybetween the bosh and converteras shown in Fig. 1 I am enabled to use any kind of fuel, as said fuelconnot pass through the converter, while the form shown in Fig. 2 isparticularly adapted for use when coke or coal is used as fuel.

In Fig. 1 I have shown flues or passageways S, connecting with theconverter and with the stack above the cylindrical bosh, for carryingoff the gas and products of combustion in blowing the metal whileconverting it into steel without acting on the charge in the bosh,forming one and a continuous heat'without handling the metal, and alsopreventing the wasting of the heat-units escaping from the converter andutilizing the same in the stack of the furnace and -the heater. Theupper end of the stack has an outlet Cb for the gases and products ofcombustion, and has a side flue P, controlled by a damper a,

for the purpose of directing the products of combustioneither out at thetop or into the side fines P, which latter communicate with a downwardflue O or pipe P',1eading to the air-heater or hot-blast producer L.

-On the opposite side of the stack is shown a heaterM for heating thegases to be used a in working the charge. The converter below the boshof the stack communicates through a valve-pipe m with a second converteror gas-extractor J, this pipe opening into the converter A at somedistance from the bot-' combined air and gas, as hereinafter described.The uppermost set E of tuyeres I prefer to arrange at such a point thatthe gases introduced thereby may pass directly into the upper part ofthe charge of ore, while the next lower set of tuyeres F is at somedistance above the offset '0. A third set of tuyeres G is introducedjust below the offset 1), and another set 11 into the bosh of the stack,and a final set into the converter A Formed in the internal wall of thestack, and projecting therefrom, are a series of shelves 0, inclininginward, with their inner edgespverhanging the next below, as shown inFig.2; or the stack is provided With a central wall 0', having shelves 0projecting therefrom alternately with those projecting from the Wall ofthe stack, the edges of each overlapping the others, for a purposehereinafter explained.

In the operation of the apparatus, after the ore has been sorted it iscracked up in sizes suitable for the crusher, and after being crushed itis passed to the ore-mill to be reduced to powder, when a proper chargethereof, with sufficient flux and coke or other fuel to start theoperation, is introduced into the stack through the charging-opening Dand falls upon the shelving. Atmospheric air, with carbonic oxide andhydrogen, is then introduced through the tuyeres E and ignited to startthe fire. Hydrogen and carbon oxide are next introduced through thetuyeres F ihto the body of the charge, and also at H, if

desired, until the mass is in a state of com-' bustion. part of thecharge through the tuyeres E pure hydrogen gas, to thoroughly deoxidizeand reduce the ore by the removal of oxygen and sulphur containedtherein, leaving the iron in a free metallic state or spongy mass.

Although I have said that carbonic oxides should be introduced throughthe intermediate tuyeres F G H with the hydrogen, 1 wish it to beunderstood that the necessary carbon may be there introduced with thehydrogen by other means. For instance, powdered. carbon or liquidhydrocarbon oil or carbonic oxide may be introduced with the hydrogen;but I prefer carbopic oxide. The relative proportions of hydrogen andcarbon introduced through the intermediate tuyeres' I then introduceinto the upper will vary to some extent with the character of I the oresunder treatment. As soon as the metal begins to fuse under the intenseheat produced by the introduction of the gases and air at differentzones, as above described, the molten metal will commence to fall downthrough the bosh into the converter A, when the pure hydrogen andsuperheated air are turned on through the tuyeres I to decarbonize andpurify the molten metal, which has been partly acted upon by gasesintroduced through the tuyeres H in its descent through the bosh B ofthe furnace. The oxygen of the air and the hydrogen introduced into themolten metal in the converter A 'produce an intense heat and remove thesilicon and other impurities and a large portion of the carbon in themetal, and by regulating these gases according to the nature of the oresunder treatment a pure homogeneous steel will be produced. In someinstances where it is found that the molten metal in the converter A hasnot received suflicient carbon in its descent through the furnace, theproper proportion of carbon in the form of finelydivided graphitespiegeleisen with cyanogen and air may be introduced through the tuyeresI. When it is determined that the.

steel is of the desired quality, the valve in the outlet-pipe 'm isopened and the overflow of the metal takes place into the secondconverter J. WVhen this chamber has been filled with sufficient metalfor the run,- the-valve in the pipe m is closed and connection with thevacuum-chamber is opened. This will insure the withdrawal from themolten mass of any gases which may have remained therein. Homogeneoussteel is thus produced, free from the usual defects, such as blow-holes,honey-combs, and other faults.

The operation, as will be readily seen, can be made continuous byconnecting the opening D with a hopper, which can be so arranged as togovern the supply, so that a continuous fusion is going onautomatically, the metal falling in the form of ore and flux, intimatelymixed, from shelf to shelf of its own gravity, the shelves beingarranged on a I proper incline, and the material falling in a'continuous manner from shelf to shelf While receiving the calorificenergy of the gaseous I steel direct from the ore, the combination,

with the stack having a series of tuyeres leading to different zonesthereof, of a chamber or bosh located below or connected with said stackand a converter located below the bosh, substantially as specified.

2. In an apparatus for producing steel diroot from the ore, thecombination, with the stack and converter and the tuyeres entering thestack at different zones or belts for the introduction of hydrogen andcarbonaceous matter, of a second converter communicating with the firstand a vacuum-chamber com municating with the second chamber,substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. In an apparatus for producing steel direct from the ore, the stackprovided with the inclined shelves or supports, with their inner edgesoverhanging the ones next below, and the tuyeres for the introduction ofthe gaseous fuel in the different zones or belts of the stack,substantially as described, whereby the metal is caused to fall fromshelf to shelf while under the calorific energy of the gaseous fuelintroduced through the tuyeres, as set forth. I

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

WM. 'F. M. MCOARTY. Witnesses:

ALEX. MoHN, JOHN G. CENTER.

